which is expected to unveil the anticipated new iPad Air model, the iPad Air 2, at its rumoured October 21 event, may finally introduce a GOLDcolour variant for the tablet, according to a new report.
Interestingly, the reports are only focussed on the new 9.7-inch iPad Air models while the iPad mini goes without mention, as per sources close to company’s plans to Bloomberg.
The rumoured introduction of the GOLD back cover for Apple iPad Air 2 would bring its colour palette in line with the iPhone 5s handset, which comes in three colour variants of Space Gray, Silver and Gold.
If the rumours from earlier this year are to be believed, the iPad Air 2 would include a Touch ID fingerprint sensor and would be around 1mm thinner than the existing iPad Air tablet. Also, the speaker grills on the bottom might be changed to bigger circles in one row from the smaller circles in two rows.
The company is also expected to use the new Apple A8X processor on the iPad Air 2 alongside 2GB of RAM, supposedly meant to enable its split-screen functionality – which has been widely-anticipated.
Apple is also expected to roll out a larger, 12.9-inch version of its iPad for 2015, with production set to begin in the first quarter of next year. The rumoured 12.9-inch iPad Pro might only launch sometime in the second quarter of 2015, probably after theanticipated Apple Watch launch, as per the reports.
In the meanwhile, Samsung is reportedly gearing up to provide its rival 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad panels, reports Digitimes. While Samsung is said to ship the panels in the second half of this year, LG Display’s small sized panels are already being shipped to Apple for iPhone 6 and Apple Watch.
The recently announced OS X Yosemite, along with the new Mac Mini, is also anticipated to be launched at the October event.
BlackBerry launches Passport smartphone
BlackBerry launched an unconventional new smartphone dubbed the Passport on Wednesday as it embarked on what may be the most critical phase of its long turnaround push.
At simultaneous events in Toronto, London and Dubai, BlackBerry showed off the device, which is the size and shape of a closed passport, with a large square touchscreen as well as a keyboard.
The Passport comes to market as the phones of BlackBerry’s rivals converge on a single profile, with tall, rectangular screens and smooth corners. Users can type on the Passport’s keyboard to enter text, or swipe lightly across it to navigate through the phone.
BlackBerry recently concluded a three-year restructuring process, and it is now up to chief executive John Chen to prove that the company’s new devices and services are capable of generating sustainable new streams of revenue and returning it to profit.
“BlackBerry is still fighting for survival. They still need to turn around and develop a viable ongoing business model,” said Brian Colello, analyst at US investment firm Morningstar.
“Their products are certainly pointing toward that and the new strategy makes sense, but there is still a lot of execution risk at this point in a very competitive market.”
At the Toronto event Chen brought out retired National Hockey League star Wayne Gretzky to talk up the Passport’s features. The device has a suggested introductory retail price of $599 (£367) in the United States.
BlackBerry said the new smartphone should be available in more than 30 countries by the end of the year. It will be carried by AT&T in the United States.
Passport users will be able to download apps from Amazon’s app store, previously only available for Android-based phones. BlackBerry announced the deal that cleared the way for its customers to access Amazon’s store in June.
The launch kicks off a busy period for Ontario-based BlackBerry. The company is set to report its second-quarter results on Friday and within a couple of months it is also expected to launch the long-awaited BlackBerry Classic, which bears similarities to its once wildly popular Bold smartphone.
“BlackBerry just needs one hit phone for now,” Colello said. “It doesn’t quite matter whether it is the Passport, the Classic or anything else, but they do need one device to jump-start the hardware business again.”
The company hopes the Classic and the launch of its new mobile device management system – BlackBerry Enterprise Service 12 (BES12) – will help it claw back ground ceded to rivals in both the hardware and services market.
The BES 12 platform will allow IT managers at large companies and government agencies to not only manage and secure BlackBerry devices, but also manage Windows-based devices, and more easily administer Android and iOS devices.
Chen, a well-regarded turnaround expert in the tech sector, wants BlackBerry to remain a competitor in the smartphone arena, but he is focused on reshaping the company to build on its core strengths in areas such as mobile data security and mobile device management.
BlackBerry is betting that the enhanced security features on its BES 12 platform, coupled with a range of value-added services, will help revive revenue growth and stem its slide
Apple invites fashion journalists to ‘iPhone 6 launch event Tomorrow
Apple Inc has invited top fashion editors and bloggers in unprecedented numbers to its Tuesday launch gala, further evidence that the iPhone maker is preparing to take the wraps off a smartwatch.
Apple is forging closer ties to the fashion world as it plots its foray into the fertile field of wearable technology, trying to win over a critical crowd that may prove crucial to the success of consumer gadgets worn around the body.
A smartwatch would represent chief executive officer Tim Cook’s first real new product since taking the baton from Steve Jobs. Several fashion media editors told Reuters they received invitations for the first time to an annual September product-launch, which they took as confirmation of a wristwatch in the wings.
“I assume it’s because they are unveiling a wearable,” said Lea Goldman, features and special projects director for Marie Claire magazine, a first-time invitee. “This suggests Apple is serious about tapping into the fashion world, which often sits on the sidelines.”
Google Glass app can read emotions, reveal age!
The Google Glass can gauge emotions such as anger, happiness, sadness and surprise and displays this information on screen.
NEW YORK: What if an app can reveal what the person you are in a conversation with is thinking? This Google Glass — a soon to be launched smart eye-wear — app not only does that for you but can also tell the person’s age!
The emotion recognition software analyses the video on the tiny computer hidden inside the Google eye-wear and reveals emotions.
It can gauge emotions such as anger, happiness, sadness and surprise and displays this information on screen, media reports said.
“This opens up an entire spectrum of new smart eye-wear applications, including communication aids for people with disorders such as autism, many of whom have difficulty interpreting emotions through facial expressions,” its developers from Germany-based Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits were quoted as saying.
The app is “trained” by accessing a database of more than 10,000 annotated faces.
The technology is also available for desktop computers, reports added.
Apple to unveil ‘iWatch’ on September 9: Report!
The California tech giant is expected to merge style and innovation, along with sensors and computing power, in a wrist-worn device that links wirelessly to iPhones or iPads.
Apple is believed to be planning a September 9 event at which it will introduce the iWatch, along with new-generation iPhone 6 smartphones with increased screen sizes.
The company has not sent out invitations to such an event, nor — as is standard Apple practice — has it commented on reports it will even take place.
Apple’s next-generation iPhones are rumored to have screen sizes stretched to 4.7 and 5.5 inches and have faster processors.
Apple typically updates its product cycle in the second half of the year, getting a lift from holiday sales.
Last year it unveiled the iPhone 5S and the lower-priced iPhone 5C in September, getting record sales at the launch.
Apple is tuning a new operating system which allows for mobile payments and includes a health platform, which could mesh nicely with an “iWatch” for tracking activity, sleep, pulse and more.
The system iOS8 is expected to be in the new iPhones.
Sony Wooing Japanese Gamers to PS4 With Dragon Quest
Sony is trying to woo Japanese game fans to the PlayStation 4 home console that went on sale in November in the U.S. and Europe, but didn’t arrive at stores here until February.
Atsushi Morita, who heads Sony Computer Entertainment’s Japan operations, acknowledged Monday the momentum for the PlayStation 4 in Japan wasn’t catching up with the West, although its cumulative global sales reached 10 million recently, the fastest pace for any game console.
The PS4 accounts for 78 percent of the home-console market in Japan, thrashing Microsoft Corp. of the U.S. and local competitor Nintendo Co., but Tokyo-based Sony Corp. won’t give a regional breakdown of recent sales.
Microsoft’s Xbox One is set to go on sale in Japan Thursday, also much later than its November sale in the U.S. and some parts of Europe.
Morita told reporters software games are in the works, mostly for early next year, including a revamped “Dragon Quest,” a game series that is extremely popular with Japanese. A “metal slime” PS4 model, a tribute to one of the game’s characters, will also go on sale. Pricing and other details were not disclosed.
“We are determined to expand in this market,” Morita said at a Tokyo hall, showing trailers of dozens of games spanning genres including sports, car racing and shooting.
(Also See: Sony Co-Founder Nephew Starts as Head of PlayStation Unit)
Many powerful game franchises were born in Japan such as “Super Mario,” ”Monster Hunter” and “Final Fantasy” so it’s a tragic reversal to have the industry struggling here.
One reason: People around the world are increasingly turning to social networks, games played on smartphones and tablets, and other online entertainment.
Game machines are clinging on by promising a more sophisticated experience, such as playing online with others and adding a movie-like narrative and visual quality to the interactive element of games.
“P.T.,” a collaboration between star game designer Hideo Kojima and “Mimic” movie director Guillermo Del Toro, resembles a horror film, in which players solve a mystery by virtually walking through a spooky house where mass murders were committed.
To add to the fun, players can share video they take of themselves looking petrified playing the game. Kojima said some people were too frightened to finish the game.
Another gadget Sony has in the works is Project Morpheus, a virtual-reality headset that delivers even more of an illusion of being somewhere else. Sony showed footage of a game where wearers can feel as though they are in the same room with a coquettish cartoon girl, wearing a miniskirt.
Gadgets to watch out in 2014
It’s almost fall, which means tech companies are gearing up to release their newest smartphones, tablets, and wearable gadgets in time for the holiday season.
Most manufacturers haven’t even unveiled these devices yet, but we already have a pretty clear idea of what the most popular smartphones and tablets of 2015 will look like.
It’s important to keep in mind that these devices haven’t been confirmed yet, so there’s a chance that some of the phones and tablets on this list may not make it to market in 2014.
However, based on numerous rumours and leaks over the past few months, we feel strongly enough to include them in this list.
1. iPhone 6
Apple’s next smartphone, presumably called the iPhone 6, is probably the most anticipated gadget of 2014. The phone is expected to come out at the end of September, and Apple will reportedly unveil it on September 9.
Based on various leaks and rumours, it seems like the iPhone 6 be a noticeable upgrade from the iPhone 5s. The iPhone 6 will reportedly come with a larger, sharper 4.7-inch screen and a completely new design that looks similar to the iPad Air than an iPhone.
2. An even larger 5.5-inch iPhone
It’s been widely reported that Apple will unveil two new smartphones this year – one with a 4.7-inch display and another with a 5.5-inch screen. It’s unclear if they’ll both launch at the same time, however. Some reports have indicated that Apple has run into production issues with the 5.5-inch iPhone, hinting that it could be released in late 2014 or early 2015.
3. Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Samsung is reportedly getting ready to unveil its new Galaxy Note smartphone in early September. Like the Galaxy Note 3, the Note 4 is expected to come with a giant 5.7-inch display.
We wouldn’t be surprised to see a Galaxy Note 4 that looks like a giant version of the Galaxy S5, which means it could come with the same dimpled back and a heart rate monitor. We won’t know for sure until Samsung makes an official announcement, which is expected to happen on September 3.
4. Google Nexus 6 (or Nexus X)
Google is also reportedly preparing to release a new smartphone this fall. A report from TKTechNews suggests that it could launch in September, and that Google may call it the Nexus X rather than using its traditional numbered naming convention. Google’s new Nexus phone is expected to be more premium than the company’s previous Nexus phones.
It may cost somewhere in the $499.99 (Rs 30,000 approximately) range (unlocked) compared to the $349 Nexus 5. Naturally, it’ll ship with Android L and is rumoured to feature a 13MP camera, a 2K display, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor.
5. Moto X+1:
There’s a strong chance that Motorola’s next flagship smartphone, presumably the Moto X+1, will debut in September. The company is holding an event on September 4, where it’s expected to officially take the wraps off its new phone and a few other gadgets, too. The Moto X+1 is expected to come with a larger, sharper display than the Moto X, a faster processor, and a dual-flash camera.
6. Second-generation iPad Air
In years past, Apple has unveiled its new iPads in October, leading many to believe that an update to the iPad line is coming this fall, too. We haven’t heard too much about the second-gen iPad Air, but a report from Korean news source ET News suggests Apple may already be working on its components.
If the report holds up to be true, we could expect to see a new iPad with the same design as the first Air, a faster processor than Apple’s current tablet, and a better camera. French blog Nowhereelse.fr also posted a leaked image that claims to show the ipad Air 2.
7. A new Nexus tablet from Google :
Google is also rumoured to be working on a new gadget with HTC, and many believe this will be Google’s new Nexus tablet. From what we’ve heard, it sounds like this new device will be a tablet version of HTC’s One smartphone.
Codenamed “Volantis,” the tablet is expected to come with a super sharp display, HTC’s aluminium design that’s become the staple of its new smartphones, and Android L right out of the box. There’s no word on when it will come out, but Google has previously unveiled its new Nexus hardware in the fall.
8. Apple’s iWatch
Apple has been rumoured to be working on its first wearable device for more than a year, and a report from Re/code suggests it could finally debut this October. The iWatch is expected to focus on fitness, and will supposedly be able to track the number of steps you take, how many calories you’ve burned, and your heart rate, among other information.
If Apple does unveil the iWatch in October, we can probably expect to see it go on sale by the end of the year.
9. Moto 360
Motorola’s Moto 360 is one of the first devices to use Google’s new software for wearables, Android Wear. It made headlines back in March when Motorola unveiled it thanks to its circular design, which is unusual for a smartwatch with a touchscreen.
The Moto 360 is water-resistant and supports wireless charging. There’s no word on how much it costs yet, but Motorola is expected to unveil more details about availability on September 4. Rumours suggest it will retail for about $250.
Android One set for India debut in September; Micromax, Karbonn ready to launch smartphones!
NEW DELHI: Android One, the Google project that promises rich smartphone experience on low-cost devices, faces its first big test when Micromax, Karbonn and Spice launch products based on it in India early next month.
The three Indian manufactures are set to price the handsets between Rs 7,000 and Rs 10,000, which is higher than the initially expected sub-$100 (Rs 6,000) tag. At this price, these devices – at least one each initially from the vendors – would give the same experience of usingmid-to-high price range devices, people familiar with the products told ET
Google is expected to roll out similar handsets in other emerging MARKETS
depending on consumer response in India. The success of Android One is critical for Google as it would help the company bring in new users to its Android platform, especially at a time when the MARKET share of the most popularmobile operating system could hit a plateau globally.
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